Western cyclone., 1887-05-12
CRITICIzING THE TIMES
THE LONDON NEWSPAPER D'9-
CUSSED IN THE COMMONS.
The Time OF tho Trial Set BY ~. n.
Smith-Amendmentst to the
Crimes Bill

LONDON, May AIN the House Of Com
mons Tuesday evening Charles E Lewis.
Cons :'vative for Londonderry City, moved
that the House take notice that n breach Of
privileges had been committed by the pUbi4
cation OF an article in the Times charging
John Dillon with falSehood, the article In
question being an editorial comment on Mr..
Dlllon's denial that he had been an accom-
plice of Sheridan, the dynamiter
Mr. Dillon demanded that the editor Of the
Times be brought before the bar of the House.
The Speaker, answering Mr.. Dillon, said that
II the House decided that the article was q
breach OF privilege a motion could then ba
made to bring the offenders TO the bar. w.
ID. Smith, first lord of the treasury moved that
the House adjourn in order to argue questions
of fact. Mr.. Dillon strenuously opposed ad-
Journment, saying that he desired an immo.
diate settlement of the question. IL the
House would now consider the matter ho
would prove the publisher Of the Times TO b
base and cowardly liar Mr.. Sexton said
that the Irish members accepted the chal.
lenge, and insisted upon full, free and imme-
date inquiry. Let them, he said, have an
inquiry by a committee, and then let the
Times produce its battalions of forgers aud
liars. The Irish members would fully justify
themselves. Mr. Bradlaugh spoke in opposl-
ton to adjournment, and characterized this
debate as a concerted plnn on the part OF
the Conservatives to assist them In the pas
sage of an odious measure.
Sir William Vernon Harcourt said that
Mr. Lewis motion was a covert method OF
bringing an accusation by one section OF the
House against another; yet when the Irish
members asked instant opportunity to meet
fhn nIo
Mr.. Hugh Holmes, Attorney General OF Ire
land, denied that the government had con.
nived at the motion, which, he contended.
was offered by Mr.. Lewis in perfect good
| faith If the Times publisher were called
| Immediately to the bar of the House, the
| House would not now be able to hear evil
dence in support of the charges; therefore, in
the absence of the publisher of the Times,
/ he thought the very best way to ar
rive at the truth was to offer . mo-
ton to adjourn and carry It Mr.. Glad
stone opposed adjournment The demand
of Mr.. Dillon and his colleagues for imIne-
diate trial was entirely just, and impossible
| for the House to resist. 1t had always been
| customary for the House itself to deal with
a motion calling attention to q breach Of
privilege without delay, and afterward, In
special cases, by the appointment Of q COM
mittee of inquiry.
| The motion to adjourn was carried BY =
vote of 2l3 to ia. Mr.. Smith moved to 70
sumo consideration of the question on Thur
day. Mr.. Sexton contended for Wednesday
instead of Thursday as the day Of resuming
the discussion of the question. Mr.. Dillon
inquired if the editor of the Times would be
| brought to the bar when the House again
took up the matter.
! Mr.. Smith-The usual course win be fol-
lowed.
1t was then agreed to take up the question
| tomorrow.
The amendment TO the crimes bill, that
the crown law officers instead of magistrates
shall conduct inquiries into crimes was then
rejected by a vote - to 176. The amend
ment that magistrates must be legally quail.
flied TO fill their Office was accepted by the
Government without division.
The Cabinet will hold a special meeting
Wednesday to consider the matter pending
between the Times and Mr. Dillon.